Emily Friar
by Miss FairyTales
Summary: Lucas had been keeping a secret from his friends. He was expelled from his school in Texas. Now that his best friend, Zay, has moved to New York, the secret is out. But, Zay wasn't the only new arrival. Lucas's sister, Emily, stayed behind when the Friar family moved. Now she is reunited with her brother. The only problem is: he doesn't want anyone to know that they are related.
1. New York?

Girl Meets World Fanfiction – Emily Friar

It had been a year. A whole year since I had seen my brother and my parents. I missed them. Dad got transferred to New York and he thought that Lucas should accompany him and mama to New York after his little incident in school. I regret not going with them. When Zay told me that he would be moving to New York as well, I saw it as an opportunity. An opportunity to see my family again. I wonder if they even missed me. I wonder if they ever thought of me. Lucas used to come down and visit every weekend, but that stopped pretty quickly. I never got a chance to say goodbye. Goodbye for good. He stopped calling as well. I guess he didn't want anything to do with Texas anymore. He didn't want anything to do with me. However, me being the stubborn teenager that I am, was not going to let this go. I was going to travel to New York and see my brother again. No ifs, ands, or buts. I wasn't going to take no for an answer. I was going to New York, and that was final.

"Papi Joe, please! I want to be with Lucas and my parents!" I whined to my grandfather. I was always his favorite because Lucas couldn't master Judy the sheep. Apparently he was a disgrace, or something like that. There was no way he was going to say no to me.

"No, Emily. I am not letting you go," He said firmly as he turned the page of his newspaper. I sat across from him at our kitchen table. I was honestly a little surprised that he had said no. He never said no to me.

"But, I want to see them again! Don't you want me to see them again?" I complained. I couldn't understand why he didn't want me to leave.

"Of course I want you to see Lucas and your parents again. But, we have responsibilities here," He countered as he reached for his coffee mug. He took a quick sip before setting it back down.

"We were happier when we were together. We were happier when they were here," I argued. I wasn't going to let him win.

"We may have been happier, but Lucas was getting into trouble. He's better off in New York. He's made new friends and his grades are good. I heard he even won the Scholar Athlete award," Papi Joe looked at me. I could tell that he missed the others, but I couldn't tell why he wanted me to stay here.

"Can I go to New York? Please, Papi Joe?" I pleaded one last time while I gave him my best puppy dog face. If this didn't work, then nothing would. He looked at me for a few minutes. Silence filled the room.

"I'll talk to your parents about it. I can't make any promises," He stated. His voice cut through the silence.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" I gave him a quick hug and kiss before running up to my room. "Yes!" I pumped my fists through the air.

* * *

"So, what did he say?" Zay questioned as he flopped onto my bed. I had invited him over so we could talk. Since Lucas left, Zay and I have become good friends.

"He said he would talk to my parents," I sighed. "You're lucky. You get to go to New York and see Lucas."

"I also have to leave Texas and all of my friends. Including you," Zay pointed out as I sat down next to him. "Why do you want to leave so badly anyway? I thought you liked it here."

"I love it here, but I love my family even more. It's killing me they are on the other side of the country," I laid back down. "I just want to put my family back together. Besides, if all goes well, then I will be going with you."

"What if Lucas doesn't want you there?" He asked me as he propped himself up on his elbow. "What if he just wants to forget everything about his old life?"

"Then he won't be too happy to see you," I joked as we both laughed.

"Hey, I don't have a choice. My dad is getting transferred. Just like yours," He stated. I smiled at him. I liked hanging out with Zay. We always had fun together.

"If I do end up going to New York with you, do you think that Lucas would be happy to see me?" I questioned. This was something that I had been thinking about for a while.

"It's hard to say," Zay answered honestly. "You are his sister, so of course he'll be happy to see you. But, at the same time, you'll only remind him of what he no longer has. Plus, you are indirectly responsible for his expulsion."

"Hey!" I playfully punched his arm. He exaggerated and rolled over as if he were in excruciating pain. "You are also indirectly responsible! Your big mouth always gets you into trouble."

"That's probable," He nodded in agreement as my phone buzzed to life. It was a text message from Papi Joe. I read it about five times. Each time, the smile on my face grew larger. "What is it? Em, what's going on?"

"My parents said they want me to move to New York! They said they missed me!" I was so excited. I jumped off of my bed and danced around for a little bit.

"Well, we got the parents issue solved," Zay commented as he got off of the bed as well. "Now all that is left is the…"

"The Lucas issue," I stated while cutting him off. "Let's not focus on that until we have to. Okay?" Zay nodded his understanding.

"I'm happy for you. You will finally be reunited with your family," He came over and hugged me. "I should probably go home and start packing. You should do the same." With that, Zay left. I was alone in my room. I still wore a big smile on my face, but I was worried beyond belief. More worried than I probably should have been.

"What if Lucas isn't excited to see me? What if he doesn't love me anymore?" I said out loud to myself. I knew that thinking these things was crazy. Lucas was my brother. Of course he still loved me. _But, does he really?_


	2. Mystery Man

Girl Meets World Fanfiction - Emily Friar

I looked around my room. It was empty. Except for my bed, a dusty old mirror, and a few boxes. I sighed as I looked at my reflection in the mirror. I was wearing blue jeans, a white tank top with a low neckline, a blue flannel, and white high tops. I had put the top half of my shoulder length, dirty blonde hair into a messy bun and I left the bottom half out. I was really going to miss this place. I was going to miss the peeling plum purple paint. I was going to miss all the dents I had made in the wooden floor. I smiled as I recalled one of the memories.

" _Lucas! Be careful!" I yelled at my brother. He had nearly dropped my chest._

" _I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Lucas proclaimed in defense. I knew he would have thrown his hands up if they weren't occupied. "What is in here anyway?"_

" _Jay threw out all my stuff. I had to wrestle an old lady just to get my hat back," I opened the door to my room so he could get in. He entered, but he became distracted by what I said._

" _What?! Who is Jay and why he is throwing out your stuff?" Lucas demanded as he dropped my chest on the floor. It left a relatively large dent._

" _Lucas! Dad is going to kill me!" I yelled as he quickly picked it back up. I glared at him._

" _Sorry. Again," Lucas apologized as he inspected the floor. "Where do you want me to put this thing anyway? And as soon as we are finished here, we are going to talk about this Jay thing." He juggled the chest between his hands. I rolled my eyes._

" _Put it in that corner. Over there," I pointed to the far right corner. He walked over and tried to slowly put it down. He accidentally dropped one corner on his foot._

" _Ahh!" He cried out as he let the rest of it fall. It left another dent in the floor._

" _Lucas!" I growled. Dad was definitely going to kill me._

" _I'm so sorry. You can tell Dad that it was my fault. Both of them," He offered I glared at him again._

" _Oh, I plan on it."_

I laughed at the memory.

"Ready to go?" Zay asked. I turned to look at him. He was leaning against the door frame.

"Yeah. Everything is packed. I just have a few boxes left," I stated while I pointed to the brown cardboard boxes that were laying on the floor.

"How are you getting all of your stuff to New York?" He asked. I walked over towards him.

"Papi Joe is going to ship it all for me," I informed as I leaned on the other side of the door frame.

"He's mailing it? From Texas to New York? What about your dad? I thought he was going to come and help you," He asked skeptically. I shook my head.

"My dad got tied up. He couldn't make it," There was a trace of sadness in my voice. I hadn't seen my father in a year. I was really hoping that he would be able to make it. But, unfortunately he couldn't. Lucas probably had a game or something. He never loved me as much as he loved Lucas. I was super excited to see him, mom, and Lucas again, but I would be lying if I said that I wasn't nervous.

"I'm sorry to hear that, but, how are _you_ getting to New York?" He questioned.

"I'm taking the train," I informed. "By myself."

"You are always welcome to join me and my family. Anyway, like I said before. I'm happy for you." He wrapped me in a hug. "There is absolutely nothing to be worried about. They're going to love you."

"Thanks, but I'll be fine," I said. "And I hope you're right, Zay." I buried my face into his chest. His words definitely didn't help.

* * *

Later that day, I was waiting at the station for the next train to New York. I had my paint stained, black tote bag hung on my left shoulder.

"Everything will be fine," I muttered under my breath. I took a few deep breaths.

"Enjoy talking to yourself?" I heard a voice ask. It belonged to a man. "Why are the pretty ones always so crazy?" I looked up just in time to see who was talking. He was fairly handsome with his wind swept, brown hair and his dark brown eyes. I smiled at him and he returned it.

"If you must know, there are only a few people in this world who will actually listen to me. I happen to be the best in that department. And, not _all_ of us are crazy, you know," I joked. He let out a small chuckle.

"So, what's a girl like you doing traveling across the country by herself?" He looked like he was a year or two older than me.

"My parents couldn't make it. My grandfather is busy," I stated. "But, my father said he would meet me when I arrived. Why are you traveling alone?" He sighed.

"I'm going to visit my brother. He goes to NYU," He stared at the people who were passing by. "So why are you heading to New York, besides seeing your father?"

"Well, one year ago, my father was transferred, so he, my mother, and my brother moved to New York. I stayed behind with my grandfather. Now, I'm moving to be with them," I enlightened.

"Family is the most important thing in the world, to me at least," He said as his phone started ringing. "Excuse me for a moment."

"Of course."

He walked away to answer his phone and left me standing on the platform. I was alone once again. Perhaps I should have gone with Zay.

"Well, it looks like I'm going to have to reschedule my little trip to the Big Apple," The mystery man said as he appeared next to me. I was pulled from my thoughts. I looked over at him questioningly. "That was my brother. He says that now isn't a good time for a visit. So much for family, huh? I guess not everyone sees the world the same way that I do."

"I do," I replied quietly. He gave a half-hearted smile as he turned to leave. "I hope I see you again. Someday, maybe." I looked down at my high tops so I couldn't see his reaction.

"I think that can be arranged." He turned to face me and held out his phone. "Would you milady, do me the great honor of entering your contact information into this here gidget majiggy?" I giggled as he bowed before me. A few people looked at us like we were crazy. I didn't care.

"It would be my honor," I curtsied as I took the phone from him and entered my name and number. I even took the liberty to take a picture of myself.

I know what everyone must be thinking. YOU JUST MET THIS GUY, EMILY! ARE YOU CRAZY? Well, the answer is no. I'm not crazy. I may have just met the guy, and we may have only been talking for a few minutes. I may only be 14, but I feel like we really understand each other.

We exchanged a smile before he disappeared into the crowd. The smile didn't leave my face until the train arrived. I stepped on. I didn't want to leave Texas. I didn't want to leave my home, but family was more important to me. Where ever my family was, that was where my home should be. The only question I had left was: Is it going to feel like home?


	3. Home Sweet Home?

When I arrived at the train station, my father wasn't there. I sighed. I knew that there was a possibility that he wouldn't show up. You would think that just because his 14 year old daughter, soon to be 15, was traveling cross country on a train by herself that he could at least be there to greet her. That mystery man was right. Some people don't see the world the way that we do. I immediately pulled out my phone so I could call him. It rang a few times, but no one answered. I tried again. Still no answer. I tried mom. No answer. I was getting frustrated. Why weren't my parents picking up their stupid phones! That's why they have phones in the first place, so people can call them! What's the point of having a phone if you're not going to answer it?! I let out a frustrated sigh. I couldn't call Lucas because he was just heading to school right now and he would be in school for a few more hours. Plus, I wanted to surprise him. I called the only other person that I could think of: Zay. After the first couple of rings, he finally answered.

 _ **Zay: "Hello? Emily?"**_

 _ **Emily: "Hey, Zay. Are you close to the New York City train station?"**_

 _ **Zay: "Umm. I'm like 45 minutes away. Why do you ask?"**_

 _ **Emily: "Because my father didn't show to pick me up and neither of my parents are answering. I'm stuck at the train station and I don't feel like getting lost in the subway."**_

 _ **Zay: "Alright. I'll tell my mom and we'll come pick you up."**_

 _ **Emily: "Thank you so much, Zay. I owe you one."**_

 _ **Zay: "Don't even mention it."**_

Once Zay and his mother had arrived to pick me up, I gave them the address of the apartment where my family is living. The drive was pretty quiet. They dropped me off and Zay offered to walk me to the door, but I told him that I would be fine on my own. I arrived at the door and took a deep breath before knocking. I didn't have a key, so I knocked.

"I'm coming!" A voice called from inside. I recognized it as my mother's. A minute later, she opened the door. A surprised look on her face. "Emily! How are you?" She glanced around the hallway with a frown on her face. "Where's your father?"

"Hi mom. I'm good. Dad didn't show, so I got a ride from Zay," I explained as we entered the apartment. It was relatively big. Plenty of room for a 4 person family. "How are you?"

"I'm quite all right. Thanks for asking. Are you hungry? Do you want something to eat?" She asked as she led me to the kitchen.

"No thanks, mom. I think I'll be good for now," I replied as I surveyed the area. "I called you."

"You did?" She asked as she took a moment to think. "Oh, my phone hasn't been working too well lately, so I took it to a repair shop. I have to go pick it up tomorrow."

"Okay." She that is her excuse, now we have to wait for Dad's. "So, where is all of my stuff?"

"Oh, I put it all in a spare room that will become your bedroom. Down the hall, third door on the left. I did a little unpacking for you and I also assembled your furniture," Mom replied as she resumed whatever it was that she had been doing in the kitchen.

"Ok, thanks Mom." I followed her instructions and came across a room that had multiple boxes in it, a bed, a desk, and a dresser that were already set up. It also had a built in closet. I could see all of the clothes that my mom had already hung up.

I placed my bag down by the door and started sorting through the boxes. I took out all of my clothes and put them away in either the closet or the dresser, making sure that everything was well organized. I put away all of my accessories, office supplies, my bean bag chair, and I put all of my bedding onto the bed. I placed all of my shoes in the closet. I would have to wait until later to put my paintings and things on the wall. But, yeah. I was mostly done.

I sat on the newly made bed. I let my mind wander. Zay and I would be going to school tomorrow. The hard part would be staying out of sight while Lucas was home. I guess it wouldn't be too hard. He had baseball practice for a couple hours after school. I would just stay in my room until. You must be wondering why I would do this. Well, because Zay and I want to surprise him together, and Zay won't see Lucas until tomorrow at school. Yeah, I know it's silly, but it's how I'm going to be doing it.

I stayed in my room and watched a few movies on my laptop. I heard Lucas enter briefly, get something in his room, talk to Mom, and then leave for his baseball practice. While he was gone, I ate dinner and took a shower. I stayed in my room for the rest of the night. I was nervous and excited for tomorrow. I was excited because I would get to see and spend time with my brother after a year. I would also get to meet my brother's new friends. I was nervous because I didn't know how Lucas was going to react to my return. I was hoping that he would welcome be back with open arms. I mean, who wouldn't wish for that? The only thing that I could do right now was hope for the best.

* * *

 **Hey guys and gals! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Sorry this is so late. I was really focused on my Descendants fan fiction, The Lost Princess, because it was so close to being done. Now it is! So, I can spend more time on my other stories. Like this one.**

 **Anyway, not a lot happens in this chapter. It's more of a short filler chapter. Hopefully the next one will be better.**


	4. Reunion Part 1

I woke up relatively early today. I could hear Lucas shuffling around outside. I moved slowly. I wasn't much of a morning person, and I didn't want Lucas to hear me. I internally groaned as I went to get dressed. I hated lying to my brother. But, everything will be fine. Because he'll know the truth in a couple hours. Then everything will be back to normal. Right? That was the hope anyway. I grabbed a pair of black jeans, fitted white tank top, and a gray flannel. I tied the ends of the flannel around my stomach. I put on a pair of white high tops with black laces. I put the top part of my hair in a messy bun and left the bottom half down. This was my signature look. I wore it most often. When I was positive that Lucas was out of the bathroom, and wouldn't be going back in, I headed inside. I did what I needed to do before going to grab a bite to eat. By now, Lucas had already left to catch the subway. Zay was on his way to pick me up. He would be giving me a ride.

"Hey sweetie. Are you going to eat something?" Mom called out as I made my way into the kitchen.

I grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl. "Sorry, can't. Zay is already on his way. I don't want to be late for my first day of school."

Mom smiled and nodded. She came over and gave me a hug. "Good luck," She whispered before releasing me. I returned her smile before leaving the apartment. I locked the door behind me. Mom had given me a key yesterday. I went downstairs and waited outside for Zay. I wouldn't be surprised if he was a little late.

While I waited, I munched on the apple. I watched the cars as they drove on by. I watched the people as they walked to wherever they needed to be. I really did miss Texas, but this place was starting to grow on me. I was pulled from my thoughts when I heard a honking noise.

"Are you going to stand there all day, or are you going to get in?" Zay called out at me from the passenger seat. I smiled at him before I made my way towards the car. I hopped into the back seat and stared out the window as his mom drove us to school. Even though Lucas is a year older than me, we're still going to be in the same grade. He was held back a year after that incident at our last school in Texas.

We pulled up in front of John Quincy Adams Middle School much sooner than I would have liked. I gulped as I slowly made my way out of the car and up the stairs. Zay was right behind me. We had to head to the office first so we could get our schedules and everything.

"Alright," The secretary said as we arrived at her desk. "So you are Emily Friar and you are Isaiah Babineaux. The new students from Texas."

"That's right, ma'am," Zay confirmed as I nervously fidgeted with the strap of my tote bag.

"Okay, here are your schedules and your transcripts. Just give the folders to your first period teacher. If you two need anything, just stop by and let me know. I'll do my best to help you." She smiled warmly at us before she returned to her typing.

"Thank you," Zay and I both thanked in unison.

I looked over my schedule.

 **Locker: 124**

 **First Period: History - Mr. Matthews**

 **Second Period: Art – Ms. Kossal**

 **Third Period: Language Arts – Mrs. Smith**

 **Fourth Period: Science – Mr. Wittrock**

 **Fifth Period: Math – Mr. Jenkins**

 **Sixth Period: Photography – Mrs. Thomas**

"Who do you have first period?" I asked Zay after I had finished examining my schedule.

"Some dude named Mr. Matthews."

"Me too."

"Well, then, we better get going."

After a few minutes of walking the halls, we arrived outside of the room. I could hear the muffled talking coming from inside. The bell had just rung only a minute ago. My heart was pounding as I took deep breaths.

"You okay?" Zay asked as he placed a hand on my shoulder.

"No. Definitely not okay," I replied, my voice was barely above a whisper. "I'm nervous beyond belief. But let's just go in and get it over with." Zay nodded as he removed his hand. He dramatically threw open the door.

"… Belgium," Mr. Matthews was saying as Zay waltzed in.

"What? Y'all started without us?" Zay exclaimed dramatically as I quietly walked in behind him. I shut the door behind me.

"GET OUT!" A brunette boy in a green turtle neck and red and blue striped polo shirt jumped out of his seat as he yelled demonically at us. My eyes widened in surprise. Great start so far… not. The blonde sitting diagonal from him slowly lifted her head to see what was going on. I saw Lucas sitting behind her. He looked unhappy. Oh dear.

"Somebody in this room is gonna be very surprised to see us," Zay stated matter-of-factly as the boy sat back down. The girl in front of him looked up curiously.

"Is it me?" She asked.

"Don't know sugar, but could you be any cuter?" Zay asked as I let out a little giggle. He was too over the top.

"Well, I can't answer that," She replied as she glanced towards our new teacher. I couldn't help but see the similarities between them. I could see Lucas trying to shield himself from us. He was annoyed and unhappy. I gulped. I knew this wouldn't end well.

"You got a transcript kids?" Mr. Matthews questioned as I handed over the folder the secretary had given me.

"Ah, I do," Zay said as he handed over his own folder. "Check out them grades. Here let me sing it to you." Mr. Matthew nodded, playing along with Zay's antics as he looked over his transcript. "D, D, D, D… D, F"

The blonde sitting in front of Lucas smiled and nodded. "Hey, I know that song!" Zay returned her smile as I playfully punched his arm.

"Isaiah Babineaux. From Austin Texas," Mr. Matthews announced as everyone turned to look at Lucas. "Huh. Do you want to introduce yourself, miss?"

I glanced in Lucas's direction. He gave me a warning look. I knew what it meant. "I'm Emily, from Austin, Texas."

"Emily…" The brunette girl asked, trying to find out my last name.

"Just Emily," I said as I looked over at Mr. Matthews. He gave me a small smile, indicating that he wouldn't tell anyone.

"What are you doing here Zay, Emily?" Lucas finally spoke up.

"Well, the first thing I'm doing is waiting for a better reaction from you," Zay announced as he looked over at me. He silently asked if I was okay. I simply nodded, keeping my gaze on the floor. It hurt that Lucas didn't want anyone to know that I was his sister.

"Maya, something's changing," The brunette stated as the blonde looked over at her. Their expressions were a little concerned.

"Okay, Mr. Teach," Zay began, trying to diffuse the tension, as he normally did. I couldn't help but crack a smile. "Where do I sit? You know usually, I'm more of a back row kind of guy." I leaned against Mr. Matthews desk as a nerdy brunette dressed in all red waved over at us. Zay frowned as I giggled. Definitely not a back row kind of guy in here. "Well, that's unusual."

"Don't worry, Zay," I placed a hand on his shoulder as I looked at Lucas. "I'll take the hit for you."

"What a great friend you are," Zay said as he placed a hand over his heart.

"Have a sit right there Mr. Babineaux," Mr. Matthews pointed to the seat behind Lucas. "You sure you want to sit in the back, Ms. Emily?"

I nodded as I made my way over to the empty seat. I knew that Lucas wouldn't want me to sit next to him. I can appreciate that, for now. I held back the tears as best as I could. I didn't want everyone to know how upset I am right now. My big brother just rejected me in front of our entire class.


	5. Reunion Part 2

"Lucas," The brunette addressed as Zay strolled over to his seat. He leaned against his new desk. "Do you know this Isaiah or Emily?"

"Yeah, tell 'em. You know us good," Zay responded. I watched silently from my corner. "Especially-"

"How 'bout we talk later, okay?" Lucas tried to skirt around the original question as he cut off Zay. Was he ashamed of us? Zay put his hands up in surrender as Lucas turned back around to face the front of the room.

"Well, Mr. Babineaux, if you work out as well as last year's new student," Mr. Mathews pointed to Lucas, "we're happy to have you. Same goes to you Ms. Emily." He gave me a knowing look. I looked away.

"I'm sure y'all will love Emily," Zay began as I glanced his way. "You see, she and Lucas-"

Lucas cleared his throat. "Zay, we can talk about this later."

"No, she and Lucas what?" the blonde, who I knew to be Maya, asked.

"She and Lucas-"

"Zay, now isn't the time. Please," I pleaded with him. I didn't want to make Lucas more upset than he already was.

"How well do you know Lucas, Emily?" the brunette asked me. I spared a glance in Lucas's direction. He looked away.

"Not very," I answered honestly. I didn't know this Lucas. Not at all. I was still deciding whether I even liked him. But, you can't judge someone that you don't know, right?

"So, Lucas, you really are doing okay here?" Zay tried to change the subject again as Lucas looked away. An uncomfortable expression grew on his face.

"Zay, maybe now isn't the time for this," I interjected as I looked between them. I could practically feel the rising tension.

"Why wouldn't he be doing okay here?" the brunette questioned. I still didn't know her name, but she must've been one of Lucas's new friends.

"Not currently on probation? No disciplinary action? They just let you wander free?"

"Zay," I gave him a warning look. One which he ignored.

"SIT DOWN!" that first boy in the turtle neck said in that demonic voice. What was he so upset about? Everyone looked to him with wide eyes. I guess this wasn't normal behavior.

Zay quickly moved from his position and sat down in his seat. I would have laughed at the situation if it weren't for my current mood.

"Okay, the new people are all settled in and there's still class time left. So, do it! Do it while I'm still tingly!" Zay and I shared a look. We were both thinking the same thing. New Yorkers were weird.

"So, in 1831, Belgium declared," Mr. Mathews began before he was interrupted once again.

"What is the secret of life?" a small boy with large eyes and spiky hair asked. Mr. Mathews turned to him and gave him a surprised look. The boy in the green turtle neck looked like he was about ready to blow a gasket. "I'm sorry, Mr. Farkle." The small kid stood.

' _Farkle?'_ Zay mouthed over to me. I only shrugged. New York was getting weirder by the second. I really regret coming.

"I know I'm not your daughter," he continued, "but I too have value in this world." So the brunette must be Mr. Matthews's daughter. No wonder they looked so similar. Mr. Matthews donned an amazed expression upon hearing this kid's small speech. "What is the secret of life?"

Mr. Matthews chuckled as he gestured towards the boy. He gave an apologetic smile to Farkle.

"Don't do it," Farkle warned as Mr. Matthews reached for the eraser. "Put that eraser down and nobody gets hurt." Mr. Matthews only smiled as he erased the words _'Belgium 1831'_ from his chalkboard. Farkle pulled his polo shirt over his head and screamed in anger before banging his head on his desk a few times. Was this normal in New York?

"Yogi has asked the primary riddle of the universe: what is the secret of life?" Mr. Matthews began as Zay mouthed over _'Yogi?'_ All I could do was shrug. "People spend their whole lives trying to figure it out. I was lucky. I had a teacher who cared enough about me to make sure I knew. Lucas. You got an opinion on this?"

"Yeah, what do got Mr. Moral Compass?" the blonde, Maya, asked as she turned to look at him. I could see Zay starting to smile. I gave him another warning look, but he ignored it yet again. I sighed as I buried my head in my hands.

"Did you just call Lucas Friar your moral compass?" Zay laughed as I shook my head. This wasn't going to end well. "They called you moral compass." Lucas turned and gave Zay his _'This isn't funny'_ look. "Okay." Was all Zay said in turn.

"Something bad is happening, Maya," the brunette stated, refusing to look back.

"Yeah," She didn't seem as worried as her friend. "It occurs to me you're trying to tell us Ranger Rick was a little different back in Texas."

"A little?" Zay blurted as Lucas rolled his eyes.

"Zay!" I called out.

"What do they know exactly? 'Cause I wouldn't wanna say anything wrong. They know you're a year older, right?"

"Yeah," Lucas responded through gritted teeth. "Now they do."

"Oh yeah, it's my fault. Look at ya!"

"Zay! Lucas! Enough! I have had enough!" I abruptly stood. "Please just stop fighting! I can't take it anymore!" I was so close to crying.

"Great! You broke her, Lucas! Excellent job," Zay said sarcastically. I huffed as I made my way out of the room. I could hear Mr. Matthews saying something, and the girl I assumed to be his daughter responding. I could only imagine what was going on.

I didn't care anymore. I just couldn't be in the same room as him. Either of them. By the time I had made it to the girls' bathroom I could hear footsteps behind me. I didn't know who they belonged to, and I didn't care. As soon as I was inside, I went into the first available stall. I sat down and cried as the bell rang. It was time for lunch.

"This whole thing was just a mistake! How could you be so stupid!" I chastised myself. I heard the door open, and the footsteps enter, but I didn't bother to stop crying. There was a knock on the stall door. "Please just go away!"

"Look, we just wanna talk to you." It sounded like Maya. But why would she want to talk to me. She didn't even know me.

"Yeah, all we want to do is talk. Can you let us in?" the brunette spoke this time. I still don't know her name.

I sniffled before standing up and unlocking the stall door. What harm could it possibly do?

"What could you possibly want to talk to me about? I don't even know you."

"Well, I'm Riley, and she's Maya," the brunette introduced. She gave me a warm smile. I returned it with a skeptical look.

"We just want to know the story about what happened in Texas. That's all," Maya requested as I slowly walked towards the sinks.

"I can't tell you that," I replied as I looked at my reflection. The puffy red eyes and tear stained cheeks were a dead giveaway to my previous action.

"We already know that Lucas was expelled from his last school. What we don't know is why," Maya pleaded as I splashed some water on my face.

"Look, I know how you feel. Okay? The feeling that you get when you realize that you don't know Lucas as well as you previously thought you did. But, I can't tell you anything. He must be the one to tell you. It's his story."

"And what's yours?" Riley asked. I looked at her through the mirror. I contemplated on whether I should tell her the truth.

I sighed as I moved to get paper towels. "I don't have a story. I'm nobody."

"You're not nobody. You're somebody and everybody has a story," Riley countered.

"Riley, if she doesn't want to tell us, then she doesn't have to," Maya stated impatiently as she gently grabbed Riley's arm. She tried to make her way to the door, but Riley wouldn't budge.

"How do you know Lucas? Isaiah was saying something about you and Lucas but neither of you gave him a chance to finish. Did you two used to date or something?" Riley questioned. She had this strange look on her face. I could have laughed at the question, but I didn't.

"No, Lucas and I never dated. And like I said before, I don't know Lucas. Not really." And now I've come to terms with that. At least, that was the lie I was telling myself so I wouldn't break down again.


	6. Lunch

"Let's just drop this for now," Maya said as Riley just stared at me. I shifted uncomfortably under her gaze. She wasn't really an intimidating person, but it was the way she was looking at me. It was as if she was trying to see into my soul or something.

"Sit with us at lunch," Riley requested. She caught me by surprise. I hadn't expected her to do that. That was one of the last things that I had been expecting her to do. The very last thing I had expected her to do was to leave me alone. She didn't seem like the type to give up easily, especially when it came to her friends. I assumed the reason she had extended this olive branch was because of this whole Lucas situation. She probably just wanted to try and grill me about him again.

"Why?" I asked as I shouldered my bad.

"Because you're new and I want us to be friends. Plus, Lucas will be there, so you'll know at least one person already," Riley pleaded as she looked at me hopefully.

"I doubt Lucas wants to see me, but fine, I'll have lunch with y'all."

Maya grinned. "Y'all-" she began before Riley cut her off.

"Peaches, we want her to like us."

Maya rolled her eyes as she sighed. "Fine." She trudged out the bathroom.

Riley grabbed my hand and pulled me along as she exited the bathroom and headed toward the cafeteria. We joined the lunch line and grabbed our food before finding an empty table to sit at. I had yet to see either of the boys. Riley quietly sat down and began opening her water bottle. Maya gave her a weird look.

"Look, Riley, we don't know the story yet. Let's know the story before you go to Riley Town," Maya said as Riley placed her bottle down and picked up her spoon.

"Riley Town?" I asked.

"Yeah, it's this imaginary place where everything is sunshine and rainbows all day long. It's like Riley's happy place," Maya explained briefly before turning back to her best friend.

I nodded before sitting back and quietly watching. I wasn't really in the mood to eat anything.

"I'm not going to Riley Town. I'm calm," Riley countered as Maya smiled uneasily.

"I like it worse when you're calm. C'mon. Be you." Maya grabbed Riley's arms and lifted them into the air. "Y-y-y-yay!" My eyes narrowed, and my brows knitted together. New York really was an odd place. Or maybe it was just these people that were odd.

That's when Lucas decided to sit down right across from me.

"Hey," I greeted him as Maya and Riley stopped whatever it was that they had been doing. Lucas responded with a simple head nod. So, he still didn't want to talk to me.

"Deny it," Riley blurted as she turned to face him.

"Riley," Lucas sighed as I opened my own water bottle.

"Tell me that whoever this Zay kid is, that he can't just come in here and change you from the Lucas we know."

"How do you think we feel?" I muttered under my breath. Lucas gave me a look, telling me to stop. He hasn't actually said one word to me. I just shrugged at him as I took a sip of water.

"Tell me nothing changes," Riley continued as if no one else had said anything. I leaned back in my seat and waited to hear how he would handle this. Lucas looked uncomfortable with the topic.

"That's all you have to do, Lucas. You hear me? I just called you by your actual name for the first time ever. That's how important this is to me. Because it's important to her. Deny it." Maya seemed eager to leave this all in the past and move on. More for Riley than herself. I couldn't tell if she actually cared that he was expelled or not. If Riley didn't care so much, would she?

"I can't." Was all Lucas said. I watched as Riley's face fell.

"I like you," she admitted as Lucas smiled at her. I nearly choked on my water. "I went on my first date with you." I looked at him with wide eyes. He was so different from the Lucas from Texas. I knew nothing about this Lucas. "Do you think it's right to let me like you without telling me who you are?"

"You know who I am," Lucas responded easily.

"Who he is and who he was are two different people. Trust me. You don't need to know who he was to know who he is now," I defended. He was still my brother. Lucas gave me another look telling me to butt out.

"I'm Ranger Rick. We rode on a white horse. I asked for your father's permission just to go on a date with you. Who does that?" he continued as if I hadn't said anything. As if I didn't exist. What was his problem? I would have laughed if I weren't in such a sour mood.

"Were you thrown out of school?" Riley asked.

"Yes."

"For a whole year?"

"Yes."

"I finally like you," Maya interjected as she pointed to him with her fork. Zay was missing out. Where was he anyway?

"You told me you wanted to be a vet. You told me you gave birth to a horse." Riley sounded like she had been betrayed. Like everything she had known was a complete lie. I feel like she was overreacting just a tad.

"That had to hurt." Maya tried to relieve the tension with a joke. Lucas laughed at the comment. I watched him closely.

"Why wouldn't you tell me about this?"

"It's not something I'm proud of. I thought I could start over," Lucas admitted as he leaned back in his seat. I hated seeing him so upset, but I couldn't do anything about it. Whenever I opened my mouth, he would just get angry at me again. "I guess I was wrong. I guess you do something and that's the end of you."

"He did something wrong. So what? He's not perfect. No one is. For as long as I've known Lucas, he has never done anything without a good reason," I tried again, even though I knew it would only make things worse.

"Em, stop." Ah, he speaks. And he used my nickname. Maybe he still cares?

"You think that's what I'm upset about? Whatever you did?" Lucas gave her a shrug that seemed to say 'Yeah. That's what I think'. "Then I don't know you. And you don't know me."

"Why are you acting like this?" Lucas asked, ready to get all of this over and done with.

"Luke, don't make it worse," I whispered to him.

"Em, I told you to stop."

"Oh, so I can't voice my opinion and stop my… and stop you from digging yourself into a deeper hole?"

"Friends talk to you and real friends listen. Remember? I would have listened. I'm your friend. Whatever you did, why wouldn't you trust me with it? People who care about you are supposed to trust you with stuff," Riley ranted. Lucas looked like he was getting antsy just sitting there and listening to her yell at him. Maya had yet to say anything else.

"It's not really about trust," I muttered to myself, only for Lucas to glare at me again. "What? It's not!"

"Wait a minute," Riley paused as if she just remembered the most important thing ever. She didn't care about what I had to say either. She and Lucas were perfect for each other. "My father knew about this?" Riley stood up.

"Riley," Maya tried to reason with her friend.

"No, my father knew, and he didn't tell me."

"It wasn't his secret to tell," I defended as they looked at me.

"Excuse me?"

"Em, please, just stop," Lucas pleaded as Riley held up a hand.

"No, I want to hear what she has to say."

"It wasn't his secret to tell," I repeated. "How would you like it if someone told one of your deepest, darkest secrets without your permission? I know that I wouldn't appreciate it. You may think otherwise, but your father was probably just doing what he thought was best. Sorry for ruining your life, Luke." I stood up with my tray of uneaten food and left before they could say anything else to me.

* * *

 **Hey guys and gals! I hope you enjoyed the chapter! I am so sorry for the wait. Life has thrown me a few curve balls, but I'm back.**

 **Thanks to everyone who followed, favorited, or reviewed. Thanks for just reading. It means a lot to me. A special thanks to anyone and everyone who offered their advice regarding my computer issues. I really appreciate it.**

 **Let me know what you think of the chapter. I'll see you all in the next one.**


	7. The Talk

**I'm sorry for the delay. Seriously. Check the note at the end of the chapter for more info.**

* * *

The end of the day had arrived. Finally. Emily had laid really low in art. She had kept her head down and hadn't said a word; seeing as how _everyone_ was in that class… somehow. This school was odd like that. She had yet to decide if she liked it or not. But she figured she had plenty of time to figure it out

Emily had trudged her way through language arts, science, and math. And she had smiled her way through photography; she had really liked that class. She liked art too, not that she was any good at it, but it was especially hard to enjoy when there was so much tension in the room.

Zay had offered to give her a ride home. She accepted, knowing that Lucas and his friends would probably take the subway. His mom would only be giving them a ride for the first week, then they would have to take the subway as well. Emily intended to take advantage of this opportunity. She wasn't ready for another confrontation with Lucas or any of his new friends yet.

"Sorry," Zay apologized while they were on their way to her apartment.

"I know you are, Zay. But sorry won't make this situation any better."

"Just talk to him and see what he has to say. Give him the benefit of the doubt. Maybe you'll work this all out?"

"I doubt it. And it's not like you were a big help, but I know that's just who you are." Emily sighed. "I'm sorry too."

"What are you sorry for?"

"I'm sorry for blowing up at you in class."

"Hey, it's okay. You had every right to. I wasn't listening to you after all."

"Yeah, I guess. Everyone probably thinks I'm such a drama queen for running out of class."

Zay shrugged. "Who cares what they think? They don't know you. I know you and I know you're not a drama queen. It was just a bad and awkward situation for everyone."

The car came to a slow stop. "Yeah, thanks." Emily grabbed her tote as she thanked Mrs. Babineaux for the ride and said bye to Zay. She exited the car and headed into the building. She rode the elevator to the third floor and walked down the hall until she reached the door to her apartment. She took out her key and unlocked the door before crossing the threshold and calling out. "Hello? I'm home!" There was no response. The apartment seemed to be empty. She figured her mom had gone to get her repaired phone, her dad was still at work, and Lucas wasn't home yet.

She thought it was odd that he wasn't here. Wasn't the subway faster than driving? And he didn't have baseball today, so he didn't come home and then leave for practice. Where was he? Maybe he had gone out with his friends.

Emily shrugged to herself as she headed to her room. Why was she so worried about him? He didn't seem to care about _her_. So why should _she_ care about _him_? Because he was her brother. That's why.

She dropped her bag by the door and flopped onto her bed. She let out a groan. If she had known that moving to New York would be this complex and stressful, then she wouldn't have done it. She would have just stayed in Texas. All she had wanted was to be with her family. And the only one who seemed happy that she was here was her mother.

She felt like a parasite. She felt like she was ruining her brother's new life just by being here. Part of her knew that it wasn't really her fault. But a larger part wouldn't stop telling her that it _was_. If she had just stayed in Texas with Papi Joe, she wouldn't be in this situation and Lucas wouldn't be mad at her. She realized that Zay was also part of the problem, but she had done nothing but make it worse.

At this point, she just wanted to know _why_. Was he ashamed of her? She wouldn't blame him if he was. She wasn't the biggest fan of herself either.

She didn't know how long she had been lying in bed, drowning in her thoughts, when she heard a knock at her door. She ignored it as she draped her arm over her eyes. She had a pretty good idea of who it was and hoped he would just give up and go away. But that wasn't really his style. At least, it hadn't been. She had no idea what his style was now.

Another knock sounded. It was more persistent this time.

"Come in," she muttered against her better judgment. She didn't actually want to talk to anyone right now, let alone him, but she knew he would just keep knocking until she answered.

The door creaked softly as it was opened. She heard booted footsteps against the wood.

"Hey."

She moved her arm and sat up to see Lucas standing in her doorway. She rolled her eyes. "What do you want?"

"Look, I… uh… I…" Lucas sighed, at a loss for words, as he entered the room. "I missed you."

He sat down next to her on the bed. They sat in silence together for a few minutes. Neither of them quite knowing how to start the pending conversation.

"How was your day?"

"Lucas-"

"Did you like your classes?"

"Lucas-"

"Meet any new people?"

"Lucas-"

"I would have been home sooner, but I decided to take the long way home. To think about things."

"Lucas!" Why was he acting like nothing was wrong? Like everything was normal?

"Yeah?"

"Why didn't you want them to know that I'm your sister?"

"I don't know. I wasn't thinking."

That wasn't good enough for her. She needed a real answer. "I don't buy it. Tell me the truth."

"I guess… I don't know… I was just upset."

"Why?"

"I was surprised and embarrassed. And you know Zay has a big mouth. I hadn't told anyone what had happened in Texas because I was trying to get past it. And I hadn't told them I had a sister either; I thought I'd never see you again. We were on two different sides of the country. Then you guys showed up out of nowhere, and it reminded me of what I had to give up when I left. Of what I had done. Of who I had been."

"You don't want them to know I'm your sister because you were angry at us and ashamed of your past?" If he was ashamed of his past, did that mean he was ashamed of her too?

Lucas let out a frustrated breath. "I don't know. I can't explain it."

"What about now? Are you going to tell them?"

"I don't know. It just seems easier if they don't know. Less complicated. I don't want to have to deal with all of the uncomfortable questions and the teasing that I know is going to come."

"Teasing?"

"Maya Hart." The blonde from class. Emily vaguely remembered the nickname 'Ranger Rick' and the comment about using his name while they were at lunch. "I just need time to process everything."

"Look, Lucas, I won't say anything if you don't want me to. You know that. But the longer you wait to tell them, the worse it will be when they find out. And they _will_ find out. Secrets have a way of coming out… eventually." She knew that from experience. She gently tugged at her sleeve.

"I know. And I'll tell them. Someday."

Emily wanted to say that he should tell them as soon as he saw them tomorrow. Get it over and done with. Rip off the bandaid. But she bit her tongue. She was already tearing up his new life, she didn't want to be more of a nuisance.

"Ok." Was all she said.

"I should go. See you later." Lucas stood up.

"Yeah, see you."

He exited her room, closing the door behind him.

Emily laid back down. She already knew that whatever came next was going to be crazy.

* * *

 **Hey guys and gals (and nonbinary pals - Thomas Sanders... no? ok.) I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. It's only iffy to me. I wasn't sure how I wanted the chat between Lucas and Emily to go. This is what I ended up with. I don't know if it came out as well as I wanted it to (or at all good). Anyway, I have a few ideas i want to incorporate into this story. It won't just be based on the episodes, although some of them may be incorporated here and there. But I kinda wanna explore some more... mature/dark (?) themes.**

 **Sorry for the delay in uploading. I've been very busy. I've had a lot of work for school and I've got finals coming up soon. And I've just been feeling very uninspired and unmotivated lately.**

 **Okay, well, let me know what you think of the chapter. Thanks to everyone for reviewing, following, or favoriting. Thanks for just reading. You guys don't have to do any of that. It means a lot to me. Feel free to PM at any time if you need to talk or if have any ideas or anything.**


	8. Author's Note

Hello guys and gals!

Okay, I just wanted to start off by saying that this is a general announcement and will be uploaded to all my in-progress stories. (also, i tend to get off topic because I love talking to you guys, so I apologize in advance. also, also, it's reaalllyyyy long because I really want you guys to know and understand what's going on. I apologize again) Now, on to the announcement...

Let me say this loud and clear: I AM NOT GIVING UP ON ANY OF MY STORIES! (on here or Wattpad, if you follow me there too)

I realize that it's been a while since I updated them, some longer than others, but I'm not giving up or discontinuing any of them. It may take a while for an update (and possibly future updates) to my stories to be released. Thank you all for your patience. It means a lot that you are all sticking with me even though I'm literally the worst ever. However, I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to keep waiting.

Since we're coming to the end of the school year, I've got finals. This week is a super testing week at my school, meaning that all classes are canceled because there are AP/AICE/FSA tests all week. (AICE is a Florida program, kinda like an AP class. And the FSA is the standardized testing that everyone in Florida, from like elementary or middle school to 10th grade, has to take). So, yeah. Next week I have two more tests which I have to miss class for, and then it's business as usual until like three weeks when there's another super testing week for the finals of regular classes (not AP/AICE classes). That's the last week of school.

Between studying for my finals, studying for regular tests, homework, projects, volunteering, sleeping (which is apparently really important. who knew?), and Netflix/youtube (I know it doesn't sound important and it's honestly such a waste of my time, but I need a good amount of time to just unwind), I haven't had much time to update any of my stories. Also, I have a life. It may be incredibly small and not that exciting, but I still have it.

*Side note, Endgame ripped my heart to shreds but was amazingggggg. I was crying for like all three hours. If I wasn't crying, then I was cheering. I'm pretty sure I annoyed the guy sitting next to me. That ending literally killed me. I was sobbing (ugly crying) in the theater. And that women of Marvel scene was EVERYTHING. (I don't know if this technically a spoiler or not) if you don't know, that mystery guy at... the sad event... was the kid from Iron Man 3 (potato gun kid). Yeah. My shredded heart was ripped further into microscopic pieces. Marvel really came for me with that movie. Even though the spoiler ban that the Russo brothers had set has technically been lifted, #dontspoiltheendgame. People at my school were terrible with this once Endgame came out. Some girl even went as far as writing it on every bathroom stall. Another kid made the ending his Kahoot username, and spoiled it for everyone in his class that hadn't seen it. Someone spoiled part of the end for me and other people I know, and it seriously sucks when that happens and it is no where near funny. So be a decent human being and don't spoil things for others. Okay, mini rant over.*

On top of all that, I have been in a creative rut and my mental health hasn't been that great lately. I just need some time to focus on me and what's left of my school year so I don't end with a anything lower than a B (*cough* math *cough*). I have been writing, but nothing that I've already uploaded. And usually when I go to write, I'm either very unhappy with it, or I just read through what I already wrote and then lose the motivation to continue.

And during the summer I probably won't have that much time to write and upload either. I plan on going to a college program for a couple weeks. Also, I'll have summer assignments for my classes next year. I hope to visit my friend in Georgia. I'll probably be taking an online course (hopefully, because I need to graduate). And I still have to get my driver's license which is like six months overdue.

**Another side note, college is like just around the corner for me and it's seriously stressing me out because I don't think I'm going to get in. But everyone is telling me I'll be fine because my sister got accepted into a good college and I'm apparently smarter than her but I don't believe them? and even if i do get in, i'll be alone and away from my parents, for more than three weeks, which is the longest i've ever been separated from them, I don't know how I'll cope? So, also dealing with that and the thought that I'll never amount to anything. Fun.**

Anyway... If you see me uploading or updating a different/new story and not the one that you are following or waiting for, please don't be upset. It just means that I was inspired to work on something else and haven't gotten to the one your waiting for because I don't want to write something bad and rush to get it out. Because no one wants that.

I'm planning on uploading some Glee fan fiction because I have been super obsessed with it lately. Like, it's kind of all I've been watching and I've seen every season like ten times. Yet somehow when I watch it, i see something new (more like I forgot). But like get this, when the last season came out (I don't remember when but it was like 2 years ago) I watched everything except the last two episodes. I had no idea I hadn't watched them until recently. Anyway, off topic again. If you'd like to see Glee fan fiction, stay tuned for that.

***Yes, another one. My friend and I just started watching The 100 and it's actually pretty good, not gonna lie. But don't expect any fan fiction from me. Cuz there won't be any. Also, Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists is really good. I haven't seen any of the newer episodes, but I really like it. Ava is such a queen, try to convince me otherwise, I dare you. Also, also, the new season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. premieres this Friday and I am soooo here for it. And I can't wait until the new seasons of the Flash and Supergirl are on Netflix. And before I end this, Spider-Man Far From Home is literally going to kill me, but I'm really excited. Also excited for Descendants 3! Anyone getting Disney+ in the fall? I'm not but my friend is, so I'll definitely be over at his house more often.***

You guys have no idea how much I hate writing these apologies, but I have no choice as fan fiction isn't my main priority. It's honestly not very high up on the list. This was supposed to just be for fun and to share my stories and ideas. I never dreamed that I would get so many followers or so many people would like my stories. It's surreal.

But I can't work nonstop on these stories, please understand that. I wish I could but I do have other things going on. I will update whenever I can.

That is all I have to say. Please PM me if you want to talk, or have any questions or ideas. If you have any story requests or any thing you want to collab on (no promises) let me know as well. I may not be that active upload wise, but I should answer you within a day or so.

Love, Miss FairyTales

****That was way too long.


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